Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)

NEED: exploration of the red planet.

GOALS:

Determine whether life ever arose on Mars.

Characterize the climate of Mars
Characterize the geology of Mars.
Prepare for human exploration.

OBJECTIVES: determine the planet's "habitability."

PRIMARY MISSION DESCRIPTION: place on Mars explorer vehicle (type rover).
ASSUMPTIONS:
The rover is expected to travel about 30 meters (98 feet) per hour, based on
power levels, slippage, steepness of the terrain, visibility, and other
variables.
Curiosity found photographic evidence of layered sandstone that, when
analyzed by chemical sensors, looked like it must have formed in the
pryeesence of significant amounts of water. So, quyres told SPACE.com
that his team's interpretation has always been that the water was mostly
underground, sometimes seeping to the surface only to evaporate quickly.
AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY:
NASA's Mars Exploration Program
CONSTRAINTS, PARTICULARLY COST AND SCHEDULE:
The project curiosity more than anything budget constraints , in fact the original
release date had to be extended longer for lack of economic resources.

OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS:

Mission timeline:
The phases of the mission include:

Pre-launch Activities: Preparation for the mission, including landing site

selection, assembly and testing, and delivery to Cape Canaveral

Launch: Lift-off from Earth

Cruise: Voyage through space

Approach: Nearing the red planet Mars

Entry, Descent, and Landing: Journey through the martian atmosphere to

the surface

First Drive: After landing when engineers first conduct tests to ensure the
rover is in a "safe state"

Surface Operations: Learning about Mars through the day-to-day activities

of the rover

Instruments:
Science instruments are state-of-the-art
tools for acquiring information about the
geology,
atmosphere,
environmental
conditions, and potential biosignatures on
Mars.